Facilities & Services

The Lodge

Villa Maria stands out immediately as a bright white building located in the heart of a cluster of buildings that is the Jose Menedez estancia property. This ranch has a storied history, it was the first property for ranching baron Jose Menedez in Tierra del Fuego started in 1894. The ranch center was once a bustling village that supported enough family, laborers, shepards, and staff to run the vast sheep ranching operation that began on Tierra del Fuego’s barren landscape. The Menendez property also played host to a rather noted employee—slaughter house manager John Goodall, who first planted trout eggs in the island rivers in 1940—truly a visionary! Still surrounded by over 120,000 acres of grazing land, and still host to 40,000 sheep and 1500 head of cattle, the ranch property sits hard by the Rio Grande river and looks like a tidy movie set, with white picket fences, and colorful flower gardens. The lodge building that is now Villa Maria, was once the ranch manager’s family home has been completely renovated into a modern fishing lodge.

Though it appears to be a traditional ranch structure on the outside, make no mistake that Villa Maria Lodge is a modern, comfortable fishing lodge in every way today, with 6 en suite double and single rooms, smart furnishings, and spacious and gracious living areas. Delightful meals are prepared daily by the lodge’s dedicated chef, so you will fish each day well fortified for battle with the Rio Grande’s giant trout, and each evening a roaring fire and well stocked bar will welcome you back from the day’s adventures. The lodge has a tackle shop stocked with Sage rods, quality reels, flies, lines, clothing, and other on and off water gifts and essentials. In addition, guests have the full use of the lodge’s fly-tying table and gear storage rooms. And if one lodge was not enough, Villa Maria also boasts a day lodge on the river bank that is utilized to augment the daily fishing rotation. The day lodge is a small house with three rooms, including two queen-bedded rooms for midday siestas. Guests use the day lodge each day, and doing so increases fishing time and allows our anglers a place to relax at midday, or they may choose to keep right on fishing after enjoying midday lunches that may include steaks or lamb cooked over open coals.

Food and Drink

At Nervous Waters, our kitchens come to life through the use of fresh and regionally representative meats and produce. By combining these elements, we create delicious flavors and varied textures that harbor hidden stories and package traditions on each plate. A top-notch team of experienced national and international chefs, trained in both classic and avant-garde culinary techniques, execute our food. With an artisan’s touch, chefs prepare every dish by scratch to be served at a minute’s notice. In addition, our inspired lunch and dinner menus are paired with some of Argentina’s—and the world’s—best wines; Bodega Catena Zapata. In addition to our focus on fresh food with organic origins, we also celebrate our Argentine heritage with a wine partnership that brings truly world class wines to our lodges. We feel that the food we present and the wines we serve should mirror the sporting opportunities we offer—and be the very best available. While our vast country offers many options for traditional activities such as riding, hunting, eating good meats, and drinking good wines, we have chosen to blend fine food and outdoor activity at an even higher level. We feel our offerings from Bodega Catena Zapata blend perfectly into our harmonious niche in the sporting environment. Boasting many accolades from the wine community at large, a Bodega Catena Zapata wine recently received a “number four in the world” icon ranking from Wine Advocate. These are truly great wines that compete on the world stage and in addition to enjoying your sporting holiday and our excellent menus, we also hope you will also take note of our wines. They hold a special place in our culture and we are proud to serve them to you. At Villa Maria and kau Tapen lodges our kitchens are characterized by both classic preparations and contemporary flavors. Enjoy fresh pastas and fire-roasted meats like our famous Patagonian lamb, roasted gaucho-style over charcoal embers, alongside ocean-fresh flavors such as King crab and savory black Hake. And don’t forget to save room for dessert. From homemade ice creams to classic sweets and pastries, we have you covered.

Although most of their lives are spent in the ocean, sea-run brown trout seem to retain more of the eccentricities of resident browns than, for instance, steelhead do of resident rainbows. Moody fish, they must be shown flies the way they want to see them at the precise time that they’re ready to take. The Rio Grande isn’t a big river. Thus, it’s compatible with a wide range of techniques; critical since a large searun brown trout may demand that a fly be fed to it on the bottom one hour but rise to a skating fly the next. Water levels can change from week to week and they generally drop as the season progresses.

Vary your presentations in each pool fished until you find the right formula of fly, line, drift or swing, and retrieve. Also heed the advice of your guide, whose primary aim is to recommend methods that will help you hook and bring more fish to the net.

Generally, the Rio Grande’s sea-run brown trout seem to lie near cut banks during the middle of the day, though in low water they will also lie in the faster necks of pools. They typically move into these areas during early morning, evening, and nighttime hours.

Generally, “tails in the morning and heads at night” is a good rule. Also look for fish distributed throughout pools on calm, overcast days. On sunny days, one theory holds that sea-run brown trout will take best if they don’t have the sun in their eyes, although this theory, like others, is often affected by the number of fish in a particular pool and the number of “takers.”

The Daily Program

Guests will leave the lodge around 9 o’clock after breakfast, fishing till around 1 o’clock. Following lunch and a siesta (the duration depends on the season), guests return to the river in the late afternoon and fish until dark. Fishing hours will change slightly depending on the time of year.

About The Sea-run Brown Trout

The first Brown Trout were stocked in Tierra del Fuego by English angler John Goodall in 1935. Shipped from Puerto Montt, Chile, 60,000 salmo trutta eggs survived the arduous journey to be planted on the Candelaria and McLennan rivers, both tributaries of the Rio Grande. These fish eventually found their way to sea, likely attracted by the rich nourishment found in the brackish estuaries. Sea-run brown trout now complete annual migratory cycles similar to salmonids, spawning during the fall in freshwater. Juveniles remain in the river up to four years until their first ocean migration, where they will feed and grow for about 6 months before their first return to freshwater, weighing approximately 3 to 6 pounds. Researchers have found searun brown trout that have spawned more than 6 times. A trout that has completed 4 cycles of returning to freshwater can weigh more than 20 pounds. The frequency with which they return to freshwater is also an indicator that the fish face few threats. It’s also an example of the benefits of catch and release.

Season

Fishing Equipment

The suggestions that follow are drawn from over two decades’ experience fishing the Rio Grande under a wide variety of conditions.

• Rods: Light two-hand rods are the most popular and effective at Villa María waters, allowing anglers to cast a comfortable line with less effort, particularly on windy days. Mending and controlling line is also easier with a twohander. We encourage you to bring a 12-15 ft., 8-10 wt. rod. If you are new to two-handed rods, our expert guides can instruct you and help you learn quickly, although it is always ideal you take a few lessons prior to arriving to Río Grande. For single-hand rods, 9- to 10-foot 8-weights are ideal for covering the water. A rod this size makes casting easy with the normal downstream southwest wind, while having enough strength to power against the wind when necessary. Given the Rio Grande’s moderate flow and generally even gravel bottom, you’ll find an 8- or 9- wt. capable of battling the river’s largest Sea Trout (20 to 30 pounds). Sage produces many of the best rods we use regularly on the water. In addition to a stalwart lifetime warranty, the company engineers several high-performance options perfectly suited for this fishery. Sage produces many of the best rods we use regularly on the water. In addition to a stalwart lifetime warranty, the company engineers several high-performance options perfectly suited for this fishery.
• Reels: choose a quality reel with a powerful, adjustable drag. Reels (and spare spools) should have enough capacity for your fly line and 100+ yards of 20-pound backing. We recomment reels from Sage that produce several options perfectly suited for the Rio Grande.
• Lines: Villa María is located on the lower section of the Rio Grande, where swinging flies with two-handed rods is the most effective way to cover the water. For this style of fishing, anglers have a variety of line options, including traditional long-belly as well as shorter scandi and skagit heads. Typically we fish the skagit system with interchangeable tips—from floating to intermediate to heavy-sinking variations. You’ll want to pack numerous tips in different sink weights and lengths because fishing conditions can change from one run to the next. RIO’s Skagit MOW tips are a good place to start. Tungsten-coated tips are a must in deeper pools and/or during high flows. T-11, T-14, and T-17 in lengths from 9 to 15 feet are the most common. Shorter, heavier skagit heads make loading the rod easier and they’re ideal for casting larger flies on heavier tips. They’re also the best choice for casting in the wind. Use 400- and 700-grain heads, depending on how your rod is rated. Scandi lines, on the other hand, are designed for lighter flies with a floating—no tip—presentation. But they can also be used with lighter tips. RIO offers slow sinking, tapered poly leaders for those lines. For anglers who prefer using single-handed rods, consider including at least three lines to accommodate varying water levels and wind conditions. Weight-forward fly lines are generally used on the Rio Grande. Floating lines are most useful during low-water conditions and in the early morning and evening hours, when sea-run brown trout feed near the surface. Integrated sinking-tip lines (200 to 400 grain) also work great. And intermediate sinking lines can be effective in some conditions. Prevailing southwest winds can be “harnessed” by roll casting or spey-casting, which eliminates the need to back cast—difficult to do with a trailing wind. We’ve found that a simple roll cast carries even large streamers 35 to 50 feet across and downstream, or far enough to cover the holding lies. Weight-forward lines can be rolled effectively by stripping and shooting line during the cast.
• Leaders: Experience on the Rio Grande indicates that sea run brown trout are not particularly leader shy. While reasonable stealth should be exercised, your chief concern is to bring monofilament in sizes that will turn over the array of fly sizes and patterns you’ll be using. Spools of monofilament should include 10- to 15-pound test weights. While fishing sinking lines, a few feet of straight (not tapered) monofilament will do fine. Maxima Ultra-green is a good choice as it has plenty of stretch, a factor worth considering when the sea run of a lifetime hits your fly! While fishing, be sure to check your mono regularly for casting knots and abrasions. After each fish caught test your leader knots. For floating lines it’s good to have knotless tapered leaders from 9 to 12 feet, with 0X tippets.
• Flies: Unless you want to pack a few favorites for the trip, Villa Maria has all your fly needs covered. We carry a full selection of high-quality patterns specific to the fishery. Flies are available for all guests to purchase upon arrival at the lodge or anytime during your stay. Sea run brown trout are mysterious fish. The only constant in their tastes seems to be a penchant for black. The trout that accepts your small Salmon patterns today may demand flies with white rubber legs tomorrow! Historically, most Rio Grande fish were taken on large streamers, perhaps because those were the patterns most commonly used. In low water conditions, more large sea trout are taken on smaller wet flies, nymphs, and drys. We suggest packing a range of flies in various patterns and sizes, and urge frequent changes when one combination isn’t working. These combinations will be determined based on light conditions, water levels, and especially on your guide’s advice. Barbless hooks are strongly encouraged. Double and treble hooks are not permitted.

General Fly List:

• Collie Dog tube flies (31/2 -41/2” long, both aluminum and copper bodies, with hard plastic tubing and #4 wide-gape hooks)
• Sunray shadow in different sizes.
• Bunny leech, Zonker, Woolly Bugger (black/olive), articulated string leech types, with electric blue flash, on #2-4 hooks
• Peacock (now a staple on Rio Grande, tied on #2-4 hooks)
• Girdle or Yuk Bug rubber legs (#4-12)
• Bitch Creek nymphs (orange and black for preference, #412)
• Bead head nymphs (Prince, Hare’s Ear, etc. #10-14)
• Traditional Atlantic Salmon flies § Bombers or other waking dry flies (natural deer hair, black&green on #4-8 hooks), for use drifted or with a Portland hitch
• Include 1- to 2-inch tube flies if you have them, as tubes can be effective on the Rio Grande. Also, take any large dark trout or salmon fly in which you have confidence. Fishing a fly that has worked for you in the past, and in which you have confidence in is half the battle. Note that larger streamers should be weighted and should be tied on heavy hooks with good gapes. Treble & Double hooks are not allowed on the Rio Grande.

About The Sea-run Brown Trout

The first Brown Trout were stocked in Tierra del Fuego by English angler John Goodall in 1935. Shipped from Puerto Montt, Chile, 60,000 salmo trutta eggs survived the arduous journey to be planted on the Candelaria and McLennan rivers, both tributaries of the Rio Grande. These fish eventually found their way to sea, likely attracted by the rich nourishment found in the brackish estuaries. Sea-run brown trout now complete annual migratory cycles similar to salmonids, spawning during the fall in freshwater. Juveniles remain in the river up to four years until their first ocean migration, where they will feed and grow for about 6 months before their first return to freshwater, weighing approximately 3 to 6 pounds. Researchers have found searun brown trout that have spawned more than 6 times. A trout that has completed 4 cycles of returning to freshwater can weigh more than 20 pounds. The frequency with which they return to freshwater is also an indicator that the fish face few threats. It’s also an example of the benefits of catch and release.

Villa María Lodge

RATES

Season 2018-2019: December 28, 2018 – April 5, 2019

December 28 – Jan 4         $ 8,950
January 4 – 11                     $ 9,950*
January 11 – March 8        $ 10,950 *
March 8 – 15                        $ 9,950 *
March 15 – 22                      $ 8,950
March 22 – 29                    $ 7,950
March 29 – April 5             $ 6,950

Rates Include single room and shared guide.

Prices are in USD

Non-fisher rate: $650 per night

* Friday to Friday weeks, within January 4 and March 15 include:

• 1 night at Delta Eco Lodge (shared rooms), with one day of guided dorado fishing (subject to availability; first-come first-take basis) with lunch, dinner and breakfast included – open bar.

Also includes transfer Ezeiza (EZE) Intl. Airport to Marina – Marina to Aeroparque (AEP) Domestic Airport (based on 2 pax min., $175 surcharge for single guests)

or

• 2 nights at any of our Dove Hunting lodges in Córdoba (shared rooms, subject to availability; first-come first-take basis) with lunch, dinner and breakfast included – open bar. Transfer to/from Cordoba Airport (COR) to lodge. Not included = Hunting licenses, gun rental, cartridges and tips.

or

• 1 night at Loi Suites Recoleta Hotel w/ breakfast based on Single room.

• Included: Transfer from Rio Grande Airport to the lodge, Lodging, Meals, all wines, beer, and local spirits at the Lodge, Professional guide services & loaner fishing equipment (Rods, reels & Lines).
• Not included: Gratuities for guides and house staff, Airfares, Fishing License ($495 per person), Laundry service.
• Payment terms: A deposit of 50% confirms a reservation. Deposits are non-refundable, unless client replacement is found. Final payment is due 60 days prior to departure. At this point, participants are responsible for total land costs and no refunds will be made for unused land transportation, accommodations, or included meals.

*Prices are in USD